A Fine Line Between Love and War
by LadyDarksbane
Summary: All Elias Hawke ever wanted out of life was the ability to take care of his family and to experience a love like none other. What he found was neither. This is an AU look at life, love and struggle of a man destined to be more than he ever hoped. Rated M.
1. Chapter 00: Background

**Story Title: ****A Fine Line Between Love and War**

**Author's Notes:** This story is will be pretty much AU for the most part. What follows is just as the title suggests, background information on the Hawke and his twin. Please be warned that a good deal of this story deals with many dark themes including rape, graphic violence, and explicit sexual content. If any of these subjects trigger you, perhaps it's best not to proceed.

**Main Characters: **

Elias Hawke- Mage

Andreas Hawke - Elias' Twin (not seen by the family since age 16)

Elias and Andreas are five years older than Bethany and Carver. When Elias and Andreas were born, Andreas was the bigger of the two, nearly ten pounds while Elias was so small he could fit in his father's hand. A thick cap of coarse black hair covered Andreas's head, making him look more like a bear cub than a child. Neither Malcolm nor Leandra expected Elias to survive, but against all odds, the scrappy infant flourished. Always smaller than his twin, Elias never let his small size keep him from tagging along behind Andreas.

At the age of five when Bethany and Carver were born, Andreas stood nearly four foot tall, towering over Elias by two full heads. Soon after the birth of the younger twins, Elias' magical abilities manifested as he accidentally set Andreas on fire. The scrappy youngster thrived under his father's teachings, his magic something to be proud of. While Andreas spent his time trouncing the other children his age, Elias began to excel at nurturing his gift. He never feared it, for Malcolm had a way of making him understand his gift was not a curse.

As the years passed and Andreas grew even taller, thicker, and larger, the gulf separating the twins became more evident. Though Andreas was never malicious to his smaller mage twin, he could never have been called kind, either. By the age of twelve, Andreas had sprouted to a full six feet in height, had blacker than sin hair which flowed in coarse waves down his broad back and sported legs that were akin to whole tree trunks. Andreas shouldered the responsibility of working the farm, often side by side with his father, more often than not alone as Malcolm devoted much of his time to teaching not only Elias but Bethany as well. He took pride in cultivating the land surrounding the small farmstead on the outskirts of Lothering.

He had always been a physical child, and soon became interested in swordplay, often venturing into Lothering on his own to watch the Bann's knights and soldiers train. As luck would have it, his sheer size proved to be to his advantage as he garnered the notice of one of the knights. Soon he became a squire to Ser Cael. Andreas took his training seriously, determined to become the best swordsman he could. He knew it would benefit defending his family and keeping them safe.

At the age of sixteen, Andreas eclipsed the lofty height of seven feet, causing him to duck down when he entered the farmhouse. He often had taken to sleeping in the barn due to the fact he had outgrown his bed. Elias on the other hand, stood barely over five feet tall, the same height as Carver, five years his junior. The lack of height and size had never bothered Elias. He had magic. Under his father's tutelage, he had mastered the basics of elemental, primal and entropic magic. Soon Malcolm would begin to teach him healing magic as Bethany had shown a talent for it. Elias looked up to Andreas, admired his skill with a blade, but never envied what his warrior brother could do.

One afternoon Elias accompanied Andreas out into the fields to watch Andreas train for a tournament. Ser Cael had sponsored his entry. It was Andreas' dream to compete against many of the upcoming warriors in the Bann's service. Hours passed peacefully while Andreas sweltered away in the summer heat, running through weapon forms and practicing his skill against stationary targets. Elias played his part, occasionally conjuring a bit of ice to cool Andreas down with.

The sanctity of the day evaporated as an old sow bear lumbered onto the field with its cubs in tow. Elias watched as Andreas attempted to chase the beast away. His actions served to enrage it. He had no choice but to engage it. He screamed for Elias to run while he defended his escape. But Elias couldn't move. Fear rooted him to the ground, he watched helplessly as Andreas applied his skill. Neither noticed the approach of a half-dozen Templars.

Once Elias' fear passed, he summoned lightning to his hand, aiming the bolt at the bear. The blast stunned the enraged grizzly, allowing a wounded Andreas the chance to get away from it. They dashed from the field.

But the crack of lightning was all it took to bring the Templars down on them. They stunned and smited Elias. Andreas leapt to Elias' defense, but six Templars proved too much for the wounded boy to deal with. They left him for dead as they descended on their helpless quarry. Instead of dragging Elias away as they should have, they poured just enough of a healing potion down Andreas's throat to bring him to consciousness, forcing him to watch as they beat, tortured and raped his smaller twin brother. When they had finished having their sport on Elias, they inflicted on final point of abject humiliation by forcing Andreas to do to Elias what they had. They left both boys for dead as they marched away from the field, thoroughly broken.

A scant hour later, Malcolm found his eldest sons. It took every bit of magic he possessed to heal and save them. Unable to face the fact that he had failed in protecting Elias, Andreas fled in the night after he'd recovered from his injuries. Elias would not hear from Andreas for over a decade.

For Elias, the horror of his abuse turned his pitch black hair snow white. It took him a few years to come back out of his shell and once again accept his magic. Deep in his heart, Elias knew Andreas was still out there. He could feel his twin's presence, especially in times of great joy or great anguish. As the years passed with no word of Andreas, Elias grew stronger. His body developed, catching up to his superior mind. He filled out, sprouted in height and no longer felt like the runt of the litter. His white hair remained, though. By his early twenties, he'd caught up in height and even surpassed Carver by a few scant inches. Muscles corded his arms, chest, legs and back.

Elias left the fold of the family, claiming he wanted to seek his fortune, but really he hoped to track down Andreas. He roamed Ferelden, moving about constantly. He spent most of his time in Denerim and Highever as well as a few weeks in Amaranthine. Then at the age of twenty-one he took over as head of the household when his father died unexpectedly.

Three years passed rather uneventfully as Carver joined the King's Army and headed off to the ruins of Ostagar to fight the darkspawn horde flowing out of the Wilds. Disaster struck. Carver returned home, injured and exhausted with news of the horde dogging his very footsteps. Frantically the family attempted to flee. While running from the ruins of Lothering, the Hawke family encountered a warrior woman and her templar husband. Carver eagerly welcomed them into the fold while Elias and Bethany warily regarded the duo. Rage burned through Elias' veins at the sight of the Sword of Mercy decorating the templar's breastplate. It was more than evident that the templar had lost the ability to wield his weapon due to wounds inflicted by the darkspawn. As it turned out, the warrior woman, Aveline by name, had been an officer in King Cailan's army. While Elias welcomed her aid, remarking on Carver's retort of one more sword against the darkspawn, he zealously guarded Bethany. No templar would take her away and subject her to the horrors he had suffered.

**Other notes: **

Elias bitterly hates Templars and anything to do with the oppression of his own kind. He is prone to wild rages over their treatment of mages. His philosophy is "The only good Templar is a dead Templar."

In the years before Malcolm's death, Elias made frequent excursions into the Wilds, meeting many Chasind and occasionally spending time with the shaman of the various clans he encountered. From them he learned the basics of the art of shape shifting. It's a skill he nurtures over the coming decade. His favorite form becomes a grey and white cat.

After Andreas had fled the family, he took to the sea, falling in with a very unsavory lot of smugglers and raiders. Through the years, he had garnered a reputation for being especially fierce, going by the name Black Dread. His ties extended to Rivain and Llomerryn, to the Raiders of the Waking Sea and the Felicisima Armada. The Black Dread captains a ship known as the Bird of Prey and owns a second called the Black Dread. He has come across Isabela in passing.

While Andreas has kept his distance from the family and believes not protecting Elias is his greatest failure, he managed to keep track of the family throughout the long years. When he learned of them having moved to Kirkwall, he made his way to the City of Chains. Initially he only sought out Elias, but their brief reunion wasn't what he had hoped it would be. His twin had changed greatly, to the point of being bitter. When he leaves Kirkwall, he swore he'd never put forth that effort again. If Elias wanted to rekindle the relationship they once had as brothers, it would have to be Elias that made the next step.

**Personality:**

Elias is a bit of an enigma overall, not wanting to call attention to what he is, but never one to shy away from trouble either. He holds great respect for the Arishok despite the differences in their cultures and that he disagrees with how the Qunari treat their mages. He is loyal to his friends, wrathful to those he sees as his enemies. Elias is a very private person. He rarely lets anyone see past his hard outer shell. There is one exception to that: Anders. Elias is often direct when he speaks. His relationship with Carver goes beyond sibling rivalry to often outright hostility. Elias has also spent years perfecting his skills of singing and playing the lute.

Andreas is also quite direct, but resorts to sarcastic humor most of the time. He wields a greatsword that he claims weighs more than most elves, and has the balls to back it up to the point of being rather belligerent about not compensating for anything. Andreas swears he will never settle down, claiming that no one woman will ever be enough for him. His life as a raider suits him perfectly. And unlike Elias, Andreas sees the Qunari as a menace to be banished from the face of Thedas. He also bears no love for the Templar Order.


	2. Chapter 01: Fear and Lothering

**Fear and Lothering  
**

Anxiety was rife within the small village located along the Imperial Highway. Refugees had flocked from outlying farms, hoping they'd be able to further flee the advance of the approaching horde, but many found naught but hopelessness in the village. The ruling Bann had taken his troops and marched north with Teyrn Loghain. News arrived of the defeat at Ostagar and the death of King Cailan. Many claimed it was the Grey Wardens who were behind it all and some spoke of how the often somber Order had been exiled a few hundred years before for attempting the same thing. The Templars serving the small Chantry had their hands full, trying to combat the growing instances of theft and violence amongst the frightened folks living on the fringes of the village.

There were some who believed the Grey Wardens wouldn't be so reckless as to betray the King and leave Ferelden to the mercy of the darkspawn horde. That particular opinion was making its way around the dim interior of Dane's Refuge, the only inn and tavern within the small village of Lothering. Scared, huddled masses crowded the inn, leaving little room for people to even move about. They hastily consumed the food and drowned their sorrows in the watered down ale the barkeep served.

One such patron was a young local with shockingly white hair and a tattoo of a writhing dragon on his face. He tossed Danal a handful of silvers, claiming a mug of the ale for himself before settling into a stool before the bar. He sipped it quietly before glancing about the room. Besides the throng of refugees, he recognized a few other locals as well as a few chantry sisters. Tamra, a friend of Bethany's, was here along with a quiet redhead he'd seen on and off for the last few years. He didn't recognize the third woman. Perhaps she was new. He usually paid little heed to the sisters. They didn't concern him. It was the Templars in the town that made him wary. The blighted tin heads hadn't seemed to figure out there was a family of apostates living just outside the town. That was a good thing. He swore he'd protect Bethany from the abuses he'd suffered over eight years ago.

He finished his ale and paid for another. This time Danal spoke to him as he served it up. "Say, Hawke, didn't young Carver head off to Ostagar a while back? Have you heard anything from him?"

Hawke shook his head, "We haven't heard a damn thing. My mother is out of her mind with fear that the darkspawn ate him. I say Carver would give the blighted spawn so much indigestion that they'd think twice about taking more than a bite or two. I've been telling mother that we should be packing up and heading for Gwaren or Denerim or somewhere other than here, but she won't hear it until Carver's back."

"Can't say that I rightly blame her, Hawke," Danal sympathized. "I know she took Malcolm's death hard. I still can't believe he's gone. He was a good man and a good friend. I can't even begin to count the amount of times he took care of my family."

Hawke shook his head as the memories of his father's death haunted him, "It's been rough. I had been away, roaming about the Coastlands, hoping to hear word of my brother, Andreas, when a messenger tracked me down. To think after the life my father led that he'd die from exposure to the elements. I would've thought he'd have known better. Taking over the running the farm wasn't easy. I know I've done farm work for most of my life, but it was different without him. I miss him, especially in times like these."

Danal shook his head, "You tell Leandra if she needs anything before you pull up stakes and move out to let me know. And here, have another on the house." The barkeep handed Hawke another mug before he moved to the other end of the scarred counter to serve another who had bellied up to the bar.

Hawke shook his head, finishing his second mug before beginning on the third. He knew he should stop at three. He noticed soldiers, perhaps they were the remnants of King Cailan's army. No, they wore the device of Gwaren. Teyrn Loghain's men, he surmised. What were they doing here? It didn't seem they had been left behind to protect the village. Whatever they were here for, he didn't think it was for any good. Perhaps it was time he left before they became rowdy and he was forced to unleash a bit of magic to calm everyone down. He didn't want that. He didn't need to have Ser Bryant or Ser Maron dogging him all the way back to the farm. He had to protect Bethany.

He set his empty mugs back behind the bar and waved to Danal as he hopped off the barstool. He had just about made it to the door when he heard a girlish squeal behind him. It stopped him cold in his tracks. He groaned to himself as he turned slowly, catching a blur of pink skirts as a petite blonde launched herself at him.

"Elias Hawke, how dare you come in here and not speak to me?" She chided, feigning outrage as she wrapped her arms around him. "Did you bring your lute? The musicians playing would love it if you joined them. Oh, you aren't leaving, are you?"

Elias peeled her clinging form from him, "Hello, Peaches. Yes, sorry, I need to head home. I only came to town to see if there was any new news from Ostagar. Carver isn't home yet."

Her pink tinted lips formed into a petulant moue, "Oh, you should stay. I'm sure Carver is fine. He swings his sword so well. I'm sure no darkspawn could harm him."

Flashing a glare at her, Elias stepped closer to the door, "You would know how well he swings his sword, wouldn't you?"

Peaches gasped at his innuendo. Once she recovered her composure, she hissed, "I have never done what you are implying, Elias Hawke. That's very ungentlemanly of you!" Then she was gone in a flurry of skirts.

Elias chuckled to himself. That got rid of her and it allowed for his escape from the tavern. He drew in a breath of fresh air as he stepped out into the cool evening air. It had been smoky and stuffy inside the tavern, thick with the smell of fear and unwashed bodies. He pushed all thoughts of Peaches out of his head as he made his way through the village, once more making the trip back to the farmstead. He walked past the cage that held the oddest being he'd ever seen. The Revered Mother called him Qunari and said his people were from Par Vollen, far to the north. He stopped, regarding the horn headed creature. He didn't seem all that fierce; though it was said he murdered an entire farmhold of people with his bare hands. At full height the Qunari was nearly eight feet tall. The cage afforded him little space and very little comfort. He couldn't lie down, and had to sleep sitting up. Elias had heard the Revered Mother had denied him any sustenance. _How terrible that must be._

Elias stepped closer to the cage, listening to the Qunari's rhythmic chanting. It was almost soothing to the ears, despite the fact Elias didn't know what it meant. "_Shok ebasit hissra. Meraad astaarit, meraad itwasit, aban aqun. Maraas shokra. Anaan esaam Qun_." As much as Elias wanted to approach the creature and ask him what it meant, he knew he shouldn't. One of the village tin heads had wandered into the vicinity of the cage and was watching them both intently. Elias waved at the templar before heading past the windmill atop a nearby rise. It made him curious as to why the templar had followed him. He wasn't sure which one it was. Perhaps a new one he hadn't seen before. He stored away the man's description so he could tell Bethany. Maybe she'd seen the blonde haired man before. Bethany had always been good at keeping track of them.

Even more than that, returning home without anything new to tell his mother weighed on him. He was sure it would throw her into another fit of melancholy that her poor baby was lost at Ostagar, eaten by the spawn. This was despite the fact that Bethany had confided in him that she could still feel Carver. At one moment earlier in the week, she sensed his distress, but claimed the connection between them was still strong. Elias knew what that felt like. It was that connection that made him believe Andreas was out there somewhere, that his own twin was alive. Maker willing, he hoped to see him again.

As he reached the edge of Hawke farmstead, he noticed Bethany sitting on a tree swing not too far from the house. Her head was bowed, her expression pensive. He knew that could only mean one thing. Their mother must have given into despair once more. He made his way over to his younger sister, crouching before her, "That bad, huh?" His grey eyes met her bright blue ones, tinted red and swollen. Her normally rosy cheeks were stained with tears. "Hush, Bethie, dry your eyes. Carver will come home soon, I promise." He kept his voice even, soothing her with an aura of calm as he spread his hands out, letting the magic waft over her.

Bethany sobbed brokenly, sliding off the wooden swing and into her older brother's arms. "Soldiers passed by here while you were gone. They claimed all the King Cailan's army died, that the darkspawn overwhelmed them and killed everyone."

"Shush now, sweetie. Don't you believe that. Just listen to what your gut is telling you and you'll know that obnoxious little shit is fine. He'll be back." Elias held her tightly, rocking her against him. "I suppose mother is beside herself with grief, hmmm?"

Bethany hiccupped as she brushed her tears away, "Yes, she's going to make herself sick if she doesn't calm down. I've tried being strong for her, but it gets harder with every passing day. The not knowing is killing her and me."

"There wasn't anything new to be heard in town either. The place is packed with people fleeing their farms, trying to escape the horde. The only thing certain is that the horde is getting closer as the days goes by. Hopefully Carver will make it home sometime tomorrow. If not, we may have no choice but to leave without him."

Fresh tears coursed down Bethany's face, "Don't say that, Eli. We can't leave without him."

"I don't like the thought either, Bethie, but we might have to. Carver wouldn't be happy if we made sitting ducks of ourselves and let the spawn get us. I can almost hear his bitching." Elias stroked her hair from her face before wiping away her tears. "And who knows? He may part of the army that marched with Teyrn Loghain. If so, he's probably headed to Denerim. Just because he joined Cailan's regiment doesn't mean he stayed with them. I've heard they swap units of soldiers around all the time. I tell you what, you and I will head into town first thing tomorrow morning, well after we've done our chores, to check for any new news. Maybe there will be something posted on the Chanter's Board."

"Alright, brother, after chores we'll go to town. I think right now we should check on mother. Maybe you should scrub your teeth before checking on her though. She'll have another fit if she smells ale on your breath."

Elias grinned at Bethany as he helped her to her feet. "I only had three," he quipped. "That's barely enough to get a buzz. It'll be fine, sister. Maybe it'll take her mind off Carver." He escorted her to the house where they found their mother in the kitchen, putting the last touches on the evening meal. Just like Bethany, her eyes were red and swollen. Her cheeks were puffy and stained with tears. He strolled over to her, planting a kiss on her cheek, "Whatever you're cooking smells good, Mother."

Leandra slowly gave a wan smile before she returned to her task. "I made a roast. I thought Carver would like something that'll stick to his ribs once he gets home. The food they serve in army camps is never that filling. And I made shortbread, too. Anything new in town?"

Elias took his place at the head of the table, "Unfortunately not. The Bann and all his men left with Teyrn Loghain. I did see a few Gwaren soldiers while in town. I think they were up to no good, though. I didn't stick around to find out. All the trouble has the Templars feeling quite harried, though. Serves the bastards right. Hope the darkspawn chew out their liver."

Leandra set a plate before Elias then handed him a mug of light wheat ale. He chuckled to himself as he tucked into the succulent roast with big chunks of potato, carrot, celery and onion. It was certainly delicious. "Darling, I know how you feel about Ser Bryant and his men, but not all of them are bad. There was one in Kirkwall that your father was friends with, though they couldn't be open about it. From what I recall he was a good man. Malcolm claimed the man was given to the Chantry at a very young age and thus remained. That was such a long time ago. He aided Malcolm when we left Kirkwall for good."

She sashayed about, placing a plate in front of Bethany before making up a third place setting meant for Carver if he returned home. It was only then that she took a seat opposite of Bethany with her own plate. Elias watched as she picked at the food, eating only a small bit while he wolfed down what she'd given him before taking a second helping. He seriously doubted that Carver would make it home tonight, but he couldn't begrudge her the nightly ritual of setting out a place for him. Whatever it took to keep her from turning into an even bigger emotional wreck. Yet something niggled at him, telling him that Carver would show up soon, most likely sooner than he thought.

…

A few days passed quietly, almost uneventfully. The air had a charged feeling to it, like something was about to happen. It made Elias tense, more prone to snap at anyone who annoyed him. Leandra had taken to avoiding her older son when his mood grew dark and Bethany showered him with ice crystals, hoping her antics would bring a smile. Sometimes I worked and other times it made him worse.

She'd accompanied him to town each day he went, though she avoided the cage the qunari was being held in, stating that if she went anywhere near the murderer that'd killed one of her good friends she wouldn't be able to stop herself from reigning fire and death upon him. While Elias sought news and a few ales within Dane's Refuge, Bethany spent time with her friend Allison and Tamra. It lent a sense of normality as they giggled about a few of the more attractive men who had sought refuge in the town and talked about the latest shipment of fabrics and fashions now at the mercantile.

She perked up as a strange group consisting of three men, a woman and a mabari hound strolled past them. Her eyes followed their progress through the village. She knew she'd never the men before, but the dark-haired female seemed vaguely familiar. Bethany was sure she had seen the woman here in town before, usually during the summer when the farmers brought their wares in for the bazaar. It had been rumored that the woman was a witch of the wilds. Or at least that was what the Chasind frequently called her. The darkwood staff she displayed openly on her back made Bethany believe that was true. How silly for a mage to be so open about what she was in town being solely protected by a small contingent of Templars.

Her eyes moved from the woman to the three men. They were talking with Elder Miriam. One had short spiked reddish-blonde hair and carried a shield on his back with the sun symbol on it, but his scale mail armor was definitely not of templar issue. The second was possibly a Dalish Elf by the tattoos on his face, wearing leather armor. A pair of daggers was sheathed at his back. The third man was clearly the leader of group. His dark hair was pulled back into a braided queue. The silverite armor he wore looked to be of better quality than the scale mail worn by his companion and upon his shield was two laurel boughs. She was sure that was the crest of ruling family from Highever. It was hard to remember, though. She was just a young girl when they lived on the outskirts of the city ruled by the Couslands.

Her attention was pulled away from the three men and their female companion as Elias hastened over to her, plopping down beside her. "You won't believe what I just heard. There are Grey Wardens here in town somewhere. I'd love to meet them and see if they have any news from Ostagar."

Bethany pursed her lips, motioning to the group she'd been watching who were still standing near Elder Miriam. "Those four could be the ones you're looking for."

Elias looked in the direction she was pointing. He eyed the four people carefully. "You might be right. I'll be back." He trotted off, heading directly to the group Bethany had directed him towards. As he moved closer, he noticed they were perusing a map and speaking in hushed tones. "Pardon me, I don't mean to interrupt whatever you are doing, but I was wondering if you were at Ostagar."

Four pairs of eyes set their gazes upon him instantly. He was startled by the intensity of warm honey, tawny yellow, sky blue and brilliant sapphire. They eyed him as curiously as he did them. The woman with the tawny eyes seemed familiar. She was from this area, he was sure, but whatever her name was, he didn't know. It was man with the sapphire eyes who spoke up using an equally hushed tone, "Yes, we were. More than that, you don't need to know."

"Aedan, do you have to be so rude? I'm beginning to think Morrigan is rubbing off on you in more ways than one," the man with the short spiked hair quipped as two of his companions rolled their eyes.

Elias frowned, his eyes narrowing, "I only ask because I've been awaiting news. My brother is a soldier in the army and he hasn't returned home yet. I've heard all the rumors of what happened down there, but those haven't sufficed."

"I'm not really sure what I can tell you, friend. We survived only by the intervention of someone else. All I know is we lit the beacon that Loghain's troops were supposed to respond to, but instead he turned them aside, leaving Cailan and the army to die. He left Duncan and all the wardens except us to die," the blonde man replied, his voice thick with emotion.

"So you four are all that's left of the Wardens?" Elias asked, eyeing them carefully.

Morrigan scoffed at him, "Bite your tongue. I am not a Warden."

"I didn't think so. I've seen you before. You live in the Wilds, if I'm not mistaken?" Elias replied. "I had hoped for some news whether my brother Carver had survived or not, but I understand if you can't give me that kind of information. I thank you for your time. And you don't have to worry about me saying anything about who you are."

The blonde man held out his hand, "Oh, by the way, my name is Alistair and this is Aedan and Mahariel. I wish we had more news for you."

"I'm Elias Hawke. Thank you."

Aedan curtly nodded, his brow furrowing. "Do yourself a favor. If you have family here, it would be in your best interest to get them as far away from here as you can. Don't wait. I doubt there will be anything that can stop that horde from destroying everything in its path."

"Thank you," Elias replied, noticing that Bethany had joined him. He turned to her, "We should go, Bethie. Time to head home."

The dark haired girl nodded at him, "We should. I'm sure mother will be worried."

It wasn't until they reached the edge of town that he told her who they were. Her expression turned melancholy as he spoke of Carver. There was still no word of him. "Last night, as I was trying to get to sleep, I kept feeling a sensation of urgency. I know it was Carver. I think he's been trying to make his way home. I can only imagine how difficult that is, though. He must be trying to avoid the horde."

"I'm sure he is. I think we should follow the advice those Wardens gave me. We need to get away from here. I'll talk to mother once we're home. Hopefully she'll accept their word."

Bethany nodded, her expression turning grim. "I hope so too."

…

Carver arrived home two days later, just slightly ahead of the horde. He burst into the house, bloodied, exhausted and leaning heavily on his sword. His appearance halted the hasty packing of the rest of the family. "We need to get out of here," he gasped as Leandra and Bethany rushed to his side, hugging him tightly.

Knowing her twin was wounded, she quickly cast a healing spell, taking care of his more worrying wounds. Elias joined in, adding his spell to hers, despite the fact that he wasn't as skilled at it as Bethany was. In that, she took after their father, showing an aptitude to the healing arts.

"Oh my baby, I've been so worried about you. I am so glad you're home." Leandra directed him to the divan in parlor before handing him a cup of hot tea. Next came a bowl of stew with a plate of bread.

"Mother, we have to go soon. The horde is not far behind me. Lothering will be overrun," he exclaimed in between hastily shoveled bites of the hearty stew. He'd never tasted anything so good after living off of army rations for the past few months.

"Bethany and I have gathered up all the coin we have, and we've packed the essentials. All we have to do now is decide where we're headed once we leave," Elias spoke up as he grabbed their packs, setting them on the kitchen table. "I think we've got everything we'll need. I turned the livestock loose. If what you say is true, there may not be anything left to come back to."

Leandra hustled in, carrying a pack of her own which she placed on the table then she handed Elias and Bethany a staff each. "I know Malcolm would want you to have these." Bethany giggled at the head of the staff she now held, a delicate blush on her face as her eyes fixed on the full figure of a voluptuous nude female.

"Father usually kept this one locked away because it reduced us to giggles," Bethany smiled, remembering the first time she saw it as a child. "I know he claimed it wasn't modeled after you, mother, but I remember a certain look in his eyes that said otherwise. I was too young to understand what that look meant, but now that I'm older I know."

The wan smile on Leandra's face said it all. Words weren't needed at that moment. Elias chuckled, clearly remembering just how much his parents loved each other. He didn't know if every married couple experienced that, but he was fortunate to have been raised by two people who had. It filled him with hope that someday he would find that kind of love as well, but for now, all that mattered was getting away from the darkspawn alive.

He looked over the staff he held in his hand. It was the one his father used the most. An orange crystal topped the simple wooden staff that had a blade affixed to the bottom. He knew his father had carried this staff during his time with the Crimson Oars Mercenaries. He had wielded it like a sword, saving his magic until he really needed it. It had helped him blend in and avoid being rediscovered by the Templars. He remembered his father calling it 'Parthalan', claiming it had quite a storied history. Now it belonged to Elias.

…

The family fled their home, running for their very lives. Smoke and ash lingered on the breeze, oft times blocking out the sun. It didn't take a genius to realize the horde had reached Lothering. Elias could barely believe the ruination that the darkspawn had wrought. Lush fields of green grass had been reduced to charred embers, devoid of any life. The destruction stretched as far as the eye could see. In the distance loomed what remained of the Imperial Highway. He knew if the family had any hope of surviving they would have to reach it. They raced over the blighted landscape, occasionally coming across stragglers from the vast horde.

Carver warned them not to swallow any of the darkspawn blood, relating what he'd been told before the battles at Ostagar. The blood was poison. He had heard that a few soldier's had died from the taint. That couldn't have been a pretty death. The very thought sent chills down Elias' spine. They would get away somehow.

As they fled, the number of darkspawn they encountered increased. It felt good to unleash a storm of magic, searing them with fire and lightning. Elias wasn't worried about attracting any tin heads this time. The ones in Lothering had already fled along with the chantry priests. So much for being the last line of defense that the village had.

It turned out that the ones from Lothering weren't the ones he would need to be concerned with. Between a break in the fighting, Leandra decided they would go to Kirkwall, to her childhood home. The thought of being amidst a city full of Templars filled both Bethany and Elias with dread and he knew it would be harder to hide their talents. With a heavy heart, he knew he'd have to lead his family through the perilous Korcari Wilds and cross the Brecilian Passage in order to reach Gwaren. Once in Gwaren he knew they would be faced with the task of garnering passage on a ship. He just hoped there would be one.

Fate intervened, though. Along the trail, they met a warrior woman who had been an officer in King Cailan's army and her Templar husband. His presence put Elias on edge, but it was clearly obvious that he was in no condition to wield a sword. Begrudgingly, Elias welcomed them into the fold. Aveline's skills were sorely needed if they hoped to survive. He only hoped that Ser Wesley would forgo his duty of catching apostates since it behooved him to accept the protection their magic provided.

With a cruel twist of fate, they encountered an Ogre, and lost Bethany to the beast's crushing blows as she valiantly tried to protect their mother. Seeing her broken body, her life essence soaking into the parched, blighted ground was all too much for Elias. He threw himself recklessly at the creature that had killed her, casting fire and lighting, ice and stone, feeling his mana deplete with every spell cast. It took the combined efforts of his magic, Aveline's steadfast protection and Carver's pulverizing blows to bring the creature down. With the ogre dead, more spawn surrounded them. How could it have come to this? The spawn closing in, their imminent deaths looming… This couldn't be the end.

Salvation came on the wings of a dragon. Fire reigned from its enormous maw, charring everything in sight. The irony of the rescue wasn't lost on Elias at all.

_Was it fate or chance?_ He couldn't decide either.

…


End file.
